Explore Powers of Ten
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STEM ED/CHM Nanotechnology 2007
Explore the Powers of Ten Scale
Scientific Standards
The meter is the standard that scientists use to describe distances. It was
originally established by determining the distance from Earth’s North Pole to the
Equator and then dividing that distance in 10,000,000 sections.
Question 1: If a meter is one ten millionth of the distance from the Earth’s North
Pole to the Equator, what is Earth’s Polar Circumference?
The meter can be used as the standard for comparing a wide range of distances
and dimensions of structures.
Question 2: How can one meter be expressed using scientific notation?
Exploring the Power of Ten Scale
Substances like oil or oleic acid spread out on the surface of water to form a
very thin film that is only a few nanometers thick. In this activity, you will compare
different measurements of distance to develop an understanding of where a
nanometer fits on a Power of Ten scale.
A Power of Ten Scale uses scientific notation to indicate how large or how small
a measurement is. For example, a distance of one meter can be used as a standard
for a “Power of Ten” scale and can be expressed as 1 x 100 meters. A nanometer is
one billionth of a meter. That means that an object that has a length of one meter
also has a length of 1 x 109 nanometers.
Start Going Up the Power of Ten Scale:
Let’s begin exploring the Power of Ten Scale by measuring and interpreting large
distances.
1. Use a meter stick to tie knots at one meter intervals in a ten meter length
of string.
2. Go outside and place an object as a marker of a starting point.
3. Use the string to place markers at distances of 10 meter, 35 meters, and
100 meters from the starting point. Record those measurements in the data
table on the next page.
4. Bring the string and location markers inside.
Explore Powers of Ten
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Data Table #1
Distance measured
(in meters)
Distance expressed in meter
(using scientific notation)
Distance Expressed in
Nanometers
(using scientific notation)
One meter
Ten meters
Thirty five meters
One hundred meters
Continue Up The Power of Ten Scale:
Maps and Globes can be used to continue up the Power of Ten Scale Construct
Data Table #2 on a separate sheet of paper to record the following distances in
meters and nanometers (using scientific notation).
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A distance greater than 100 meters but less than 1 kilometer between two
locations on a map (use string and a kilometer map scale).
A distance greater than 1 kilometer but less than 10 kilometers between
two locations on the map.
A distance greater than 10 kilometers but less than 100 kilometers between
two locations on the map
Use a kilometer scale on a larger maps or a globe to determine distances
that gradually increase distances by three more Powers of Ten.
You have now explored the Power of Ten Scale from a distance of one meter up
to Powers of Ten that can be used to describe distances on Earth’s surface. Larger
Power of Ten can be used to describe even larger distances.
Construct a Data Table #3 to record the following distances in meters and
nanometers (using scientific notation).
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A distance of 75,000 kilometers
A distance of 384,401 kilometers (the average distance between Earth and
its Moon).
A distance of 1,500,000 kilometers.
Explore Powers of Ten
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Even larger Powers of Ten are used to describe distances in the Solar System,
in the Milky Way Galaxy, and in our Universe. Locate data that can be used to
construct Data Table #4 to record the following distances in meters and
nanometers (using scientific notation).
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The average radius of Mercury’s orbit.
The average radius of Earth’s orbit.
The average radius of Pluto’s orbit.
Distances between the edge of the solar system and stars outside of the
solar system
Question 3: It is estimated that the distance from Earth to the measured edge of
our Universe is approximately 1 x 1025 meters. How many more rows would you have
to add to Data Table #4 to include the additional Powers of Ten representing
distances that would reach to the edge of the Universe?
Explore Going Down the Powers of Ten Scale:
Rulers can be used to begin going down the Power of Ten Scale. Construct Data
Table #5 to record the following distances in meters and nanometers (using
scientific notation).
Locate items in your classroom that have the following lengths, widths, diameters,
or thicknesses.
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A distance of one meter.
Between 10 centimeters and 100 centimeters.
A distance of one inch converted to centimeters.
A magnifier may be helpful for the next measurement.

Between 1 millimeter and 10 millimeters. Examples would include table salt
crystals or pepper flakes.
A magnifier is certainly going to be needed for the next measurement.

Between 0.1 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters. Examples would include fine
chalk dust or a human hair.
Explore Powers of Ten
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Construct Data Table #5 to record the following five distances in meters and
nanometers (using scientific notation).
A microscope is needed to observe objects further down the Power of Ten Scale.

What is the diameter of a red blood cell (in nanometers) if it has a diameter
of 0.000024 meters?

What is the length of a bacteria (in meters) if it has a length of 1500
nanometers?
A spectroscope can indicate the wavelength of different colors of visible light.

Use a spectroscope to look at light coming from a fluorescent or
incandescent light bulb and record the maximum wavelength of red light.
An electron microscope would be required to make the following measurement.

What is the length of a protein molecules (in nanometers) if its length is
0.000000027 meters?
An Atomic Force Microscope would be required to make the following measurement.

What is the length of an oleic acid molecule (in meters) if its length is 2.2
nanometers?
Question 4: How many rows would you need to add to Data Table #5 to continue
down the Power of Ten scale to a subatomic distance of 10-18 meters?